Senator Marco Rubio, a staunch China hawk and Israel supporter, promised a robust foreign policy focused on American interests during his confirmation hearing for Secretary of State under President-elect Donald Trump.
Republican US Senator Marco Rubio pledged a robust foreign policy prioritizing American interests at his confirmation hearing on Wednesday (January 15) for secretary of state under President-elect Donald Trump , who takes office on January 20. A staunch China hawk and supporter of Israel , the 53-year-old Rubio is expected to secure easy confirmation from the full Senate.
Democrats expressed their backing almost immediately after Trump announced his nomination, a stark contrast to some other nominees who faced skepticism even from within Trump's own party.Rubio addressed key foreign policy issues during a friendly hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he has served for 14 years. He delivered a scathing critique of China, stating that the US must take a more assertive stance in countering Beijing's influence. In his opening statement, Rubio described a world in chaos and emphasized the need for a strong and confident America that prioritizes its core national interests. 'It will be impossible without a strong and confident America that engages in the world, putting our core national interests once again above all else,' Rubio said.As the son of Cuban immigrants, Rubio would be the first person of Hispanic origin to serve as the top US diplomat. His remarks were briefly interrupted by a handful of protesters, one of whom spoke in Spanish and mentioned Latin American countries that the US has sanctioned, including Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Cuba. 'I get bilingual protesters,' Rubio quipped. 'You've earned yourself one of the hardest jobs in America. But after serving with you for so many years, I'm confident you are the right person. We need to take on these threats.' Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top foreign relations Democrat, echoed this sentiment, stating, 'I believe you have the skills and are well qualified to serve as Secretary of State.'Rubio is a leading advocate in Congress for strong policies to counter China. His support for Hong Kong democracy protesters resulted in Chinese sanctions against him in 2020, meaning he could be the first Secretary of State under active Chinese travel restrictions. At the hearing, Rubio argued that Washington must intensify its efforts to compete with Beijing and criticized its human rights record. 'If we don't change course, we are going to live in a world where much of what matters to us on a daily basis from our security to our health will be dependent on whether the Chinese allow us to have it or not,' Rubio said.Some of Trump's other nominees faced significant criticism, even from within the Republican Party. Some Republicans expressed reservations about former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, Trump's choice for secretary of defense, and former Representative Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick for director of national intelligence, demanding more information about their qualifications. Interestingly, some of Trump's core supporters had seen Rubio as out of step with Trump's 'America First' approach to government. Rubio was a rival to Trump during the 2016 Republican presidential primary. Last year, Rubio was one of 15 Republican senators who voted against a large military aid package to Ukraine, after voting in favor of aid in 2022. Trump has been critical of Democratic President Joe Biden's military assistance for Ukraine as it fights Russia. Rubio told the committee that it should be US government policy that the war must end, stating that reaching an agreement to stop the fighting would require concessions from both Moscow and Kyiv, suggesting that Ukraine would have to compromise on its goal of regaining all the territory seized by Russia in the last decade.'I think it's important that the Ukrainians have leverage, but they also will have to make concessions to reach this agreement,' Rubio said. Trump's selection of a vocal critic of Cuba's Communist government as his top diplomat also signaled his intention to continue his first-term policies of rolling back former Democratic President Barack Obama's efforts to improve relations with the island. Rubio, a strong supporter of Israel, condemned the International Criminal Court for issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel's conduct in its war with the Palestinian militant group Hamas and warned that the court could eventually attempt to prosecute US leaders. 'How can any nation-state on the planet coexist side by side with a group of savages like Hamas?' he said in defense of Israel's assault on Gaza. 'They have to defend their national security and their national interest.
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